


Mandarin Oranges

by the_never_was



Series: We Satellites [2]
Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Decisions, F/M, Love, Other, Realizations, Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-06
Updated: 2013-12-06
Packaged: 2018-12-27 09:23:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12078222
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_never_was/pseuds/the_never_was
Summary: He's slipping away. So she'll catch him again, for good this time; all it takes is a cup of fruit.





	Mandarin Oranges

**Author's Note:**

> One shot I wrote ages ago, holy hell. But I loved it then, and it's still a bit sentimental.  
> (Also idk about azure, sooo deal with it.)  
> Posted Sept 2017 with account, dated with written date.
> 
> Shepard/Liara/Normandy/Mass Effect series belongs to Bioware.

 

 

 

 

Liara took a moment to grab something to eat in the mess. It had been an exhausting couple of days, considering everything: She’d had countless messages and appointments to keep virtually with Shadow Broker contacts, most of whom were either gathering continuous intel on Cerberus, the Reapers, or galactic governments or were getting resources for the Crucible project. It kept her extremely busy. Even so, she had _made_ the time for him when he had cautiously asked her to accompany him on the last Cerberus N7 run.

She couldn’t forget the way Shepard had entered her room after a soft knock, a habit he’d never had before this war. He had approached her different consoles, checking upgrades, before cautiously asking if she had any spare time for an N7 mission. He figured her biotics would help. Liara had immediately agreed; after all, she owed much of her life to this human, this man. No—not just this man, but also _this_ man who had become the center of her own galaxy, her own universe, for the last few years.

Goddess, she knew she’d fallen in love with him even before defeating the old Shadow Broker. She hadn’t meant for it to happen, especially because she was still nervous about him. Gabriel Shepard had seemed himself around her, but she’d caught wind of the darkness building in him—of hearing how he’d tossed a merc off of Nassana’s tower without thought once the Eclipse member had mouthed off. Dying had obviously changed him; of course it would have to do so. But Liara knew there was more to it—he had felt abandoned by everyone he ever trusted, except Garrus and Anderson. He’d flat out told her that, making her cringe deeply. However, once he realized it had been _she_ who had taken his body from the Shadow Broker, with Feron’s help, to give to Cerberus to bring him back, he was a bit softer about her vacancy in his life at that point.

Now, aboard the refurbished and retrofitted _Normandy_ , Liara constantly worked herself over trying to get everything just so she could help him. She wanted to prove that their night aboard the ship before he turned himself in was still cherished. Their reconnection on Mars had clearly proved both still had feelings for one another, even if it simultaneously reinforced her guilt about not being able to visit him much in his incarceration.

So, when Shepard had asked her for her help, if she could spare it, she immediately grabbed her gear. Truth be told, when they had fought on the Shadow Broker’s ship and against the asari Spectre, Liara had felt, amongst all the anxiety, worry and anger, that old rush of being at his side, using her biotics to protect and defend him. Thus, the desire to feel that rush again had her answering him with an almost too fast affirmative.

Shepard had seemed surprised at her immediate response to his question. “You’re sure? I get that you’ve got a lot on you.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

He had shifted in his steps, betraying emotions she couldn’t fully understand in him. “I’m not your commanding officer, Liara. You don’t have to do a damn thing like this anymore. In fact, I wouldn’t blame you. I’d rather you be safer away from fighting, but....”

“Please. It will be a good distraction from all this,” she had replied, gesturing to the several screens on the wall.

In the end, it had taken a good ten minutes of convincing him that she was fine helping him not only then but also in the future whenever he needed it—whenever he needed her. Shepard had surprised her by turning to leave, only to spin on his heel and quickly kiss her cheek. A soft smile later, and he was out the door, leaving her to remember the nights they’d had together...the relationship they were trying to still figure out and keep.

Now, as she approached some of the cabinets across from the medbay, Liara smiled thinking of how well that particular run had gone—a much needed victory over Cerberus, for the Alliance and the galaxy...and Shepard’s morale, which had been decreasing. Liara bent, selecting a container from the refrigerator of small human fruit, one with the letters “L” and “CS” on it; mandarin oranges, she thought he had called them. After Shepard had noticed them nearly all gone in the first couple weeks of traveling, he had teasingly sent her a message on her omni-tool, telling her that more would be restocked soon so they could _share_ the rations they both enjoyed. Liara had gotten on EDI about telling him who had snuck some of the Commander’s fruit stash. Now the crew marked anything in the food supply that was theirs alone and not part of the general mess, hence the letters on their fruit.

Liara’s lips curled happily as she took a fork and stuck it through one small piece of citrus fruit. She brought it slowly to her lips, savoring its interesting smell, before bringing it in her mouth and chewing it delicately. Noises ahead of her caught her attention, snapping her out of the small little peace she had had with the delicious snack.

A group of Alliance crew women was moving to sit at the far table in the mess. Liara instantly recognized them: Sarah, who guarded one of the posts to the War Room; Teresa, a woman working in the CIC; and Maureen, a darker-skinned human woman often found in the War Room itself. Liara remembered that she had been aboard the ship when the Reapers had attacked Earth; Joker had apparently had no time to do anything else with the few non- _Normandy_ Alliance crew who had been part of the retrofit, and so they had stayed aboard.

Due to the time being later in the night cycle, when some of the crew would be sleeping, the lights in the mess were dimmer than usual. It spared Liara being noticed right away by the group as they all sat, oblivious to her presence, in part due to the wall separation between the mess tables.

Curious as to human female conversations, the scholar in her leaned slightly forward as she ate her next piece of fruit.

What she heard caused her curiosity, then worry.

“This whole thing is awful. So much responsibility falls on this ship and everyone on it to take care of all these ends. I just hope we win this thing against the Reapers. If we don’t pull through, it looks...well,” Maureen began, her voice betraying the tired feeling everyone in the galaxy had been dealing with since the Reapers appeared.

Sarah nodded. “I know. I get to hear the occasional shouts from the Commander when he talks with the diplomats over the FTL communications. I hate guarding that door when he’s doing everything. Wish I could go on a mission. I’d feel more productive and like I’m actually contributing.”

“You and me both,” Teresa agreed, her hands rubbing together. “At least I help keep EDI and Joker’s flight calibrations in check. That’s something.”

It was quiet a moment, which peaked Liara’s interest more.

Teresa sat forward a little, leaning closer to the group. Liara’s stance shifted to one further back in the shadows cast over the counters—it did little to impede her hearing.

“You ever wonder how Shepard deals with all of this? My God. Saren, Sovereign, the Collectors, and now the Reapers, all while people have slammed his name and then begged for his help?” Teresa began, sadness in her tone.

Sarah sighed. “Shit, yeah. Can only hope he’s got someone to relax with, you know? Not sure I’d ever be able to look at my omni-tool again, if I were he. So many messages.”

“Yeah,” Maureen replied, rolling her shoulders. “It’s a shame. He’s a great hero. At least he doesn’t have to fear losing family to the Reapers.”

“What do you mean?” Sarah asked.

Teresa bit her lip. “He’s an orphan. Grew up on the streets back on Earth.”

“Fuck, that’s...both sad and a blessing now, I guess,” Sarah now agreed. “Only, I’d still like to have some family or someone to worry over right now. To love and miss.”

Maureen angled her head some. “Maybe. Can’t be easy, constantly on and off the ship. You know, I’ve heard he barely sleeps.”

“Dangerous,” Sarah muttered.

“It is. Maybe whatever Cerberus did to him makes him need less sleep?” Teresa added, thoughtful.

 _Of course it does_ , Liara answered in her head. _But he still needs rest. Goddess._

They were quiet again until Teresa had a shy smile grace her lips. “You know, maybe he just needs someone to help him relieve tension so he can rest. I used to be a masseuse, back before I joined the Alliance. I could help him, I’m sure.”

Quickly, Liara entered the human word in her omni-tool; the translation had been strange. _Ah. Someone who.... I see._ Liara found that she didn’t quite appreciate the woman’s enthusiasm.

Sarah laughed a little, still quietly talking. “Sure. You give him a massage through his fatigues, and I’ll give him one with him in a towel. Poor guy’s gotta be stressed out beyond belief. When’s the last time he’s even _had_ a chance to get any?”

The three women started to smile, but then each one got a look of shame or awkwardness on their faces. Liara felt something twist in her gut as she listened to the human women talk about Shepard and his needs. If anyone had a right, wasn’t it...her? Liara tried to fight the impending guilt feelings as they started to overtake her. It forced her to set the cup of fruit back on the counter, so she could grip the hard furniture’s edge. It was strange for her to wonder, for a moment, if other women could make him happier—especially considering he had been the only person _ever_ involved with her in her life romantically. She lacked perspective, something she hated more with her seemingly omniscient job.

“We shouldn’t joke about that,” Maureen said.

Sarah nodded a little, but still couldn’t stop from saying, “True, but damn he’s such a good looking guy considering everything he’s been through. I can’t imagine the body that goes with those blond locks and blue eyes. Sometimes I catch him not paying attention as he waits for the scanners, and I look at those big broad shoulders. Hard not to want to touch those, you know? Especially when any day could be our last.”

Liara instantly saw that same body in her head as her mind reeled back to their first time of being intimate, back on the run to Ilos on the SR1. She had been so mesmerized by the muscle—the smoothness and power that lied beneath his golden skin. _Goddess, he was beautiful_.

“Well, who knows? Maybe you should give him a wink the next time he goes through the door to the War Room, Sarah,” Maureen teased. “He might react.”

Sarah blushed, but stayed firm in her voice. “Yeah, right. Insubordination much? Besides, fraternizing with the great Commander Shepard could get all kinds of unwanted...and wanted attention. Man, could you imagine an affair or relationship with the biggest hero of the galaxy? I mean who doesn’t know his name?”

“Lovely idea, but like you said earlier. This war makes this difficult in more ways than one. I wouldn’t mind offering my services, regardless,” Teresa said, her eyes looking off to the side in thought.

Liara felt a surprising amount of anger and jealousy rise inside of her. Just before her biotics flooded her fingertips, begging to be used, Maureen spoke up again.

“Listen, Teresa, Sarah.... I’d watch that kind of stuff. I mean, really, watch it. I heard some rumors that the Commander and the asari doctor on board have been involved.”

Teresa sat up straighter. “Seriously?”

“Of course. Those blue women get most of our men, since they’ve been introduced to humanity,” Sarah said, her voice bitter. “I mean some of us aren’t into alien sex and would like to be able to date men of our own species.”

Liara genuinely felt bad for Sarah in that sentiment, though she couldn’t imagine the woman would understand how many asari felt annoyed by human male advances, too.

“Regardless, ladies. I heard that they weren’t just, you know, lovers. I heard that the Commander stayed loyal to her since whatever happened between them on the SR1 _Normandy_ ,” Maureen continued. She placed her chin on her hands, face lost in romantic thinking. “He must really have loved her.”

Liara swallowed painfully.

“Not sure what’s to love,” Sarah bit out.

“Hey. Dr. T’soni is a very kind person. I like her,” Maureen countered. Liara mentally thanked the woman for her words.

Teresa sighed softly. “Well, if he still feels that way, it’s sad that she’s always so cooped up down here in her office, from what I hear. I bet he’s up in that cabin now, probably not sleeping, wishing she’d leave those monitors we helped her bring.”

“That’s an assumption,” Sarah said. “Maybe he’s interested in other people now, if they’re not spending any down time together.”

Liara fumed. Didn’t these women understand that both she and Shepard each had immense responsibilities? Albeit, she couldn’t fault them somewhat—they had no idea she was also the new Shadow Broker.

“You know, I watch him sometimes when he comes into the CIC and talks to Traynor, checks messages, or whatever. I always wait to see if he gives any of us that ‘look.’ The only time I ever saw it was when he and Dr. T’soni had been getting ready to leave the ship when we first docked with the Citadel and Major Alenko was taken to Huerta Memorial.” Teresa rubbed her eyes. “I don’t think he’s even thought of anyone else. It’s sweet, really, but I can’t help this stupid crush of mine.”

Sarah elbowed her friend. “Hey, Teresa. You aren’t the only one. I think maybe half the female crew of this ship, not counting the crazy number out in the galaxy, likes him. Shit, my fourteen-year-old niece and her friends used to play a game deciding which of them got to marry Commander Shepard.”

“Is she...?” Maureen asked hesitatingly.

Sarah shook her head. “Safe on the Citadel with her parents. I found them on the last shore leave, told her who I was working for. She nearly fainted.”

The women laughed a little more before the each split up for different areas: Maureen went into the crew quarters, while Sarah entered the bathroom and Teresa rode the elevator back to the CIC.

Liara took advantage of the moment. She grabbed the cup of fruit and fork and made quickly for the elevator, waiting for it to return so she could take it straight to Shepard’s room. All of their words had spurred her, had forced her to consider thoughts she had a few times since coming on board—that he was, of course, a handsome hero, and that unless they really were sure of this relationship, he could be taken by someone else. She’d never really considered how much of an appealing catch he had become to his race, so knowing that he always did have affection for her made her feel even more special.

Liara sighed in relief as the elevator opened and she entered it, tapping her foot slightly as it rode upward. What was it he had told her in that very room, months ago?

_Oh yes. He wants little blue children._

Liara felt the smile hit her before she could hide it. Just thinking of that moment made her yearn for a life without Reapers, one where she and he could actually fulfill that dream together. In fact, it had been something in her consideration, until he was taken into custody and away from her easy contacts. The separation had scared her more than she cared to admit—especially in how it brought back the long nights of being alone after his death.

The sign over the closed door was red, indicating it was locked from the inside. Liara thought a moment before softly speaking. “EDI, could you open Shepard’s door for me? I’d like to speak with him.”

“The Commander has asked not to be disturbed, Liara,” EDI replied. Still, Liara could hear the giving in the AI’s tone. “But, I think you might be an exception.”

“Thank you, EDI,” Liara quietly said, taking a breath as the red symbol turned green and the door opened in front of her.

Cautiously, Liara entered his cabin, looking for him. The sight that greeted her made her both sad and endeared her to him: Next to his private terminals and the photo he kept of her on the same desk, Shepard had finally passed out, his head buried in his arms.

Afraid to wake him by physical contact in case training might make him react dangerously, Liara kept her distance and softly knocked on the wall beside her. Instantly he was awake, jerking up and shaking his head as if to further wake.

When he spun in his chair, moving to get up to answer the door, Liara enjoyed the frozen expression of surprise on his handsome face. She felt his beautiful blue eyes, ones a very different shade from her own, gaze over her face in curiosity.

“Need something?” he asked with a yawn, rubbing one of his eyes with the heel of his hand.

She smiled, took a step toward him, and held up the fruit cup. “Thought I’d share.”

Shepard instantly grinned, though it was a sleepy one. “I’m shocked.”  
  
“I saved you... a couple out of this,” she teased back, moving closer. The tenderness in his often angry and tired face was a soothing relief to her.

“Well. Let’s have it, then,” he murmured, settling back into the chair.

Liara moved to sit on one of his long legs, letting his knee and left arm support her weight. That amazing smile she had discovered on the original _Normandy_ during one of their random conversations once again greeted her; Liara believed it to be one he used with her exclusively, given how many times she’d seen him around others. She carefully stabbed a piece of fruit with the fork and held the utensil up, bringing it close to his lips.

Shepard eyed her mischievously, as if waiting for her to quickly put it in her own mouth. When she didn’t he leaned forward slightly, letting his teeth take the little orange piece from the fork. He closed his eyes as he chewed, his mind seemingly elsewhere for a moment, perhaps in a memory. When he reopened them, Liara smiled. “Another?”

“Yes, please,” he answered.

Liara made the same motions as before, only this time when she did put the fruit near his mouth, she moved and quickly took it between her lips. Her laugh made him smile, even though his grip on her waist and back had tightened.

“Liara. You said you were going to share.”

She nodded, keeping the fruit between her lips. Liara waited, seeing if he would take the bait; she nearly sighed when he did. Shepard immediately moved forward, bringing his lips to hers. He neatly plucked the fruit from her lips, quickly chewed and swallowed it, then gingerly pressed a kiss to her mouth.

Liara closed her eyes, loving the feel of his lips like always. After a moment he pulled away, forcing her to look at him. “Why did you stop?”

He shrugged, smile still visible but not as full as before. Liara swallowed. Shepard adjusted beneath her, stretching his strong legs some. “Given everything...I’m not sure where we stand a lot, Liara. I thought after what happened that night when you took over the Shadow Broker’s position that that problem would never bother me or us again. Now, with me doing everything I can and you so stressed and hooked into your very needed network, I don’t know. I guess I’m afraid to want us anymore—like maybe I’m an idiot to want something like that with the galaxy going to hell around me or even if I have a right to want that.”

The words would have broken her heart, had his voice not done it first; he had spoken them so softly and with a deep sadness that mirrored the one he had used when he’d tried to get her to talk about them before they took off for the Shadow Broker’s ship. It just killed her to hear it again. But this time Liara wasn’t going to push it aside for the galaxy or for anything else. Her ungloved hands came up behind his neck, gently rubbing it before her fingers ruffled through his soft hair. Liara looked to him. “Shepard, I know what you mean. You know I do. But, all the same, I’ve come to a different conclusion.”

“And that is?” he asked, hesitant but closing his eyes somewhat at her continued rubbing of his neck and scalp.

“If we don’t have each other, we won’t survive any of this. We could win a physical war, only to be left emotional shells.” Liara stopped her hands’ movements and held his face to look up at her. Once his light blue eyes caught hers she spoke again. “I’ve missed you. I need you. Do you still need me?”

He stared at her a moment, as if in disbelief that the conversation was happening before he simply kissed her. Liara felt the pressure on her mouth change into urgent need she had come to recognize in his behavior. Shepard angled his face and kissed her again, pressing harder; his arms’ hold turned her toward him to better capture her mouth. She sighed against his mouth as she felt his wetness trace her lips. Their tongues met seconds later, and Liara could sense an amazing amount of emotion coursing through him into her; it didn’t surprise her that he had been holding so much back.

She briefly made him pause in his kisses to look at her. His gaze was still slightly sleepy, though admittedly it had began to change to one she knew very well. Liara smiled. “I take that as a yes.”

“Yes.”

“Then we face all of this together.”

Shepard grew serious. “Liara, I don’t want friendship anymore. I need more from you or I need complete professional deference.”

“You're pretty serious,” she teased, her fingers dancing over his covered collarbones.

“I am serious.”

“I remember. Little blue children,” she whispered, their eyes meeting.

Shepard held her gaze. “Yes. If anything makes me want to kill Reapers, it’s the idea of having a family with you away from danger.”

“Agreed,” she said. "Does this make us something more special in your culture?"

“We don’t have to label it, Liara. We just _are_.” He tilted her chin up with the fingers of his right hand. Those light blue eyes were like steel as they looked at her. “I love you, Liara.”

Liara felt emotion surge through her as she heard words she could only imagine hearing. “I love you too,” she replied, her eyes a bit wet.

Shepard grinned. “Good. Now that that’s established, I want to change a few things.” He poked her side. “First off, whenever you _do_ go to bed, you come here and sleep with me. I might actually get some rest if you’re around. Damn nightmares.” He paused, as if casting the dreams away. “And, well, we’ll get to other items later.”

“Shepard?” she asked, puzzled.

In a surprisingly swift move for someone his size, he was on his feet, cradling her against his chest. He carried her, mandarin oranges and all, around the corner, down the steps, and straight to the bed. She grew excited as he ordered EDI to turn off all of her audio and visual sensors until he put in the override code.

Liara laughed, enjoying where the moment was going. He sat her down on the edge of the bed and took the fruit from her hand. His teasing grin made her respond in kind. “Liara.”

“Yes?”

“I’ve got an idea.”

“Should I be worried?” she asked with mock concern.

He smirked. “Maybe.”

“So this idea is...?”

“You have to get naked first.”  
  
There it was, that commanding personality he had regardless of his surroundings. Liara loved when he took control in bed, though she remembered how sometimes he needed her to do the same. Those nights were particularly memorable.

Liara obeyed the “order” by unsnapping her uniform’s clasps and slowly wriggling out of it. When it dropped to the floor, she slipped out of the thin underwear she wore to keep her suit from agitating her sensitive areas. She looked up to see his eyes traveling her as they had that very first night; the look in them was one of exploration, curiosity, and desire. She eased back onto the bed, her arms supporting her weight as she stared up at him, waiting for him to stop his masculine scan of her body.

Shepard’s eyes finally snapped back to her face. He raised a brow and smirked, creating a rush through Liara’s insides. “Lay back, baby,” he requested; his deep voice was a little strained now, which Liara knew was from desire.

When she did as he asked, Shepard came to lean over her. Liara squirmed when she felt wetness on her stomach and cleavage. She glanced down her body to see the remaining two pieces of fruit expertly placed in a line. Liara couldn’t stop the little laugh from escaping her as he bent his head. The laugh morphed into a moan as his lips and tongue trailed a path up her abdomen to the first mandarin orange piece; she felt him pluck it off of her, chew and swallow it before his tongue returned, lapping up the sweet juice that had formed on her skin. Liara’s hips rose as her head fell back, a sigh escaping her.

 _Goddess_ , she thought, as he progressed purposefully upward. Shepard momentarily paused to cup each breast, kissing them, before flicking his tongue over the spot where she knew human women had nipples. She had a small node in the same place, though its origin was not quite like that of the human mammal ancestry. The researcher in her loved this display of his racial instinct, and then the sexual side of her won out as that manipulative tongue caressed down the side of her right breast and into her cleavage. Liara moaned again as she felt the fruit disappear and his mouth clean away the juice there.

She was getting far too aroused, partly because it had been too long with them separated. Liara needed this physicality, needed _him_. She supposed she always had. Her thoughts crossed briefly to her mother as she wished she could have had the opportunity to ask Benezia whether fate really had a hand in Liara’s life; despite their species differences, they were perfectly matched in so many areas, she and he.

Liara missed his warmth when he rose off of her to stand. Her dark sapphire eyes cracked open in time to catch him tossing his shirt, revealing the sexy chest and abs, which were constantly worked out in battle. Quickly Shepard bent, unlacing and kicking off his boots. He then let his hands drift slowly to his pants buckle and snaps, making sure her eyes followed his fingers.

Taking the hint, Liara sat up and moved forward, batting his hands away. Shepard tossed his head back happily as the backs of her fingers brushed his lower stomach in the effort to get the remaining fatigues off of his body. Quickly, she undid the catches, smiling as she began to shrug them down his legs and over his black underwear. Shepard momentarily pushed her back with a hand so he could step out of the pants and remove the boxer briefs.

Liara stared at his aroused self, still surprised about its formation and abilities. Back before they had been intimate the first time, she had secretly researched certain aspects of human culture and the male body. She, a virgin, hadn’t wanted to be too surprised or awkward with him, in case anything like the flight to Ilos had ever happened. Now, Liara pressed a light kiss to the side of his hardened cock, enjoying the low groan that swept through him into her.

“I appreciate the thought, but later,” he gruffly said, nudging her on her back.

Liara smiled as he came to lie on top of her, his arms around her torso and his face buried in her neck. She spread her legs for his hips to settle between them. Shepard’s mouth fused itself to her neck; she could feel his tongue and lips working together purposefully. When she’d first asked him why he liked doing that act, he responded that he felt it was a way to claim his position with her. She had then given him one in return.

He was clever, though. Ever the multitasking one, Shepard had been lining himself up with her entrance. Liara smiled as a memory appeared of when he had first stared at that part of her, concerned with its much different outer appearance than those of the women of his own species. She had reassured him that the little tendrils would accept him and keep him secure inside of her; the same discussion had also made her blush and explain that the tendrils also existed to help bond other asari along with the nervous system meld in mating. The vaginal-like passage had always existed for birthing, not necessarily for conception, like in humans.

She felt the tendrils respond as he pushed forward, entering her. Liara rose up a little, rubbing her sensitive skin against his as his mouth wandered from her neck to her jaw. “Shepard,” she murmured, voice heavy.

He complied with her unspoken wish and shoved against her, entering her fully. The small tendrils wrapped around a small section of him as he withdrew partly only to slam into her again. Liara moaned from the sensations—inside her she could feel the tip and the sweet, but slightly painful pressure of his aroused sex.

She ground up against him, earning a sexy grunt for her reward. He moved within her, setting a slower, but more forceful pace, as if physically showing her his determination in their relationship. Liara kissed him when his face angled toward hers, his eyes closed. Her legs found rest over his hips, letting him move deeper and harder. They moaned together from the new position. Shepard’s hands wandered under her back, pulling her into him as he pressed forward again, groaning her name. In turn her arms wrapped around his neck, her own face falling backward. Liara’s eyes caught the stars in the overhead window as the ship drifted on and he continued thrusting.

“Liara,” he grunted, focusing her eyes back on him.

His eyes were soft, overtaken by arousal. She kissed him again, deeply, and felt her natural biotics begin to work and prep for the nervous system melding. She knew he would feel the light tingling around his body as it grew. Liara’s eyes went black as she felt the meld begin with their mouths connected and him still thrusting hard and slow. There it was, his vast mind, touching hers once again. Liara cherished these moments even more than the physical pleasure he gave her. As his fingers found the sensitive spots of her neck, Liara called out his name. Flashes of light appeared, signaling the melding, and the actual physical sensation of the melding made her climax as it happened again and again, nearly in sync with the now faster motions of his hips. Shepard kept kissing her, his tongue as insistent as his lower half. Liara had to break the kiss, though, to throw her head back and moan again, his name echoing in the quiet room.

As the amazing sensations began to ease through her, Liara felt his pace tighten and change. Shepard pressed his face to her neck and slammed her back on the bed, hips rough with intent. She let him lose control, knowing he’d been so overwhelmed and stressed. After a few deeper, penetrating thrusts, he cut loose one of the sexiest sounds Liara had ever heard and stilled; Liara sighed when she felt Shepard empty inside of her. It never mattered that it was only a mess to clean up, since sperm couldn’t impregnate her. It was evidence of his feelings, of his desire, and she loved it.

Shepard collapsed on top of her, his breathing rate outdoing her own. Liara ran her fingers up and down his glorious back as he tried to catch his breath. She could feel him swallowing against her chest. “Just what I needed,” he finally murmured.

She smiled. “Me, too.”

He withdrew from her as the tendrils let go and rolled onto his back, eyes closed. Liara adjusted next to him, running a hand down his chest and feeling the hot wetness begin to seep slightly onto her thigh from their joining. “If this is my stress relief even once a week, I’ll be in a much better position to deal with crap.”

“Noted,” she laughed, kissing his cheek. Her eyes caught the sweat glistening on his chest and matted hair sticking on his forehead. “How about a quick shower and then back to bed?”

One eye cracked open to stare at her. “I doubt it’ll be a quick shower. You remember the last time we showered together?”

“Yes. The walls were cool against my skin, I remember,” she said, voice soft. “But you need rest. We both do.”

“You’re staying up here tonight?”

“It was the first item of change you requested,” Liara teased. “So yes.”

He sighed, and it was one she could tell was relieved. “Good. I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
